Office Performance Issues

Fix X Author for Excel Add-in Slow Loading Issue (15-20 Minutes)

Adam Davis Oct 10, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user needs to resolve a severe performance degradation where the X Author for Excel runtime application takes an excessively long time to start.

How to Fix X Author for Excel Add-in Slow Loading Issue

Product: Microsoft Excel / X Author Add-in
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Launching the X Author runtime application within Excel to access its features.
Observed behavior: The application fails to start promptly, taking between 15 and 20 minutes to load completely.

Before you start

Ensure you have administrative privileges on your computer, as you may need to check recent system security updates or modify network configurations to troubleshoot this issue.

Solution 1Recommended

Restart and Verify Recent System or Network Changes

A simple system restart and reviewing recent environmental changes can often resolve abrupt performance degradation.

Sudden slowdowns in enterprise add-ins are frequently caused by background conflicts, network latency, or newly installed system updates that interfere with the add-in's authentication process.

Restart the computer

Close all active instances of Excel, save your work, and completely restart your computer to clear any stuck background processes.

Check update history

Open Windows Settings, go to 'Update & Security' > 'Windows Update', and click 'View update history'. Look for any security updates installed right before the slowdown began.

Test the application

Launch Excel and initialize the X Author add-in again to see if the loading time has returned to normal.

Restart and Verify Recent System or Network Changes

Network Dependency: If you are working remotely, ensure your VPN is connected and stable, as X Author may require a steady connection to your company's servers to load.

Solution 2

Document Environment Details for Advanced Support

If the issue persists, gathering specific system and software details is necessary for your IT department or support team to diagnose the root cause.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why do Excel add-ins like X Author suddenly take too long to load?

This is usually caused by recent security updates, conflicting background applications, network latency issues, or corrupted add-in cache files interfering with the startup sequence.

Can a slow network connection affect the loading time of Excel add-ins?

Yes. Many enterprise add-ins, including X Author, require a connection to external servers to authenticate and load data. Network restrictions, VPN issues, or high latency can severely delay the startup process.

How do I disable conflicting add-ins in Excel?

Go to 'File' > 'Options' > 'Add-ins'. Select 'COM Add-ins' from the Manage drop-down at the bottom, click 'Go', and uncheck any unnecessary add-ins that might be conflicting with your workflow, then click 'OK'.

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